Paper web dryers



Aug. 19, 1969 G- J. KOTTICK PAPER WEB DHYERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23 1967 mvsmon GENE JOHN KOTTlCK 7W 5. Mac nu ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1969 G. J. KOTTICK 3,461,569

PAPER WEB DRYERS FIG? INVENTOR. GENE JOHN KOT'ITI CK VW 5'. MW

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,461,569 PAPER WEB DRYERS Gene John Kottick, Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada, as-

signor to Midland-Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 677,438 Int. Cl. F26h 13/08 US. Cl. 34-116 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A web width foil is positioned near or adjacent a dryer cylinderconducting a paper web in the space forming an entrance to a pocket. The foil prevents an inducement of excessive air which tends to deform or billow the web in the length between the dryers causing breaks.

' The present invention relates to an improvement in web drying apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus that will substantially eliminate or reduce the inducement of air into a pocket of a web dryer formed by the dryer rolls and the web and felt passing about them.

The newer fabrics of synthetic material used in supporting a paper web tend to induce air into a dryer pocket bounded by the passing paper web on two sides and a dryer drum on top, and the fabric and web on the bottom. Such induced air into a pocket tends to deform or billow a passing web in the draws between the dryer drums, resulting in flutter particularly at the edges. The induced vibration or flutter results in unwanted web breaks and in time lost in rethreading of the machine.

Advantageously, this invention proposes to substantially eliminate or reduce the inducement of air into a dryer machine pocket and therethrough obviate the problem with paper web instability. A web width baffle or foil of either flexible synthetic material or metal is positioned below the fabric roll bordering the defined pocket perpendicularly to the dryer drum. The foil, at that position, stops web accompanying air from moving into the pocket and it stops and deflects surrounding air, air that in absence of such baffle or foil would be carried into the pocket mentioned. As herein stated, the foil desirably is of a flexible plastic or synthetic material or of reinforced rubber or synthetic plastic Woven material which can be fabric itself capable of withstanding the high treating temperatures and maintains its dimensions. The characteristics should be such so that it can be deflected when impacted by the supporting fabric, when lifted away from the dryer drum by lumps or wads of paper that form during web breaks, or otherwise creep in.

The invention is described in detail in the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings where:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic detail, in elevation, of a web dryer section forming a pocket, with the foil of this invention in position adjacent a dryer drum;

FIGURE 2 represents the air foil or bathe assemy;

FIGURE 3 represents, in section, the baflle assembly of FIGURE 2 taken on line 33;

FIGURE 4 represents, in end view, the mounting of FIGURE 2 in section as taken across line 4-4;

FIGURE 5 represents a lateral view of the mounting of FIGURE 2 taken, however, across line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 represents another mode, that of longitudinally actuating, and mounting the baffies;

FIGURE 7 represents another view of the variant means of FIGURE 6 for actuating the baffles;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional detail of FIGURE 7 across line 88 showing the baffle actuating means; and

FIGURE 9 is a further modification of the foil and its mounting.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIGURE 1 a section of a web dryer apparatus, a unit comprising at least three staggered related dryer drums 10, 11, 12 about which there is conducted a web supporting synthetic fabric 13 and the paper web 14. The web supporting fabric 13 courses only about the lower set of dryer rolls 10, 12, etc. and being in the nature of scrib and that it becomes separated from the paper web 14 by being diverted about the felt roll 16 positioned in the space between the three enumerated dryer drums, moisture and suspending air readily flow therethrough. It has been found that if an air foil or baflle 20 were positioned perpendicularly to the periphery of an inwardly rotating drum a great deal of surface and surrounding air flow would be diverted and prevented from reaching the pocket 17. And, such an air or baffle 20 would be inexpensive.

The proposed bafiie assembly as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 comprises an elongate flexible member 21 supported in an equally long channel or open box 22 that is mounted in ends 19 that are contoured along the back and mounted to rotate about a rotatable tube or pipe 23 passing through end bearing supports 24 mounted and secured to opposing channel bases 25. The end of the tubular or pipe supporting shaft 23 is provided with an arm or lever 26, secured at a right angle thereto, to allow a limited rotation of the foil 21 into and out of position relative a drum surface.

A suggested method of supporting the foil 21 would be as shown as a sandwich formed by the top of the channel and a covering metal strip 28 resting on it and secured through adjusting screws 27. The flexible foil 21 also has slots 29 to permit its quick sliding adjustment relative to a passing web surface. The screws 27 in a drawn down position would maintain the foil in a predetermined fixed horizontal position. Since the foil 21 serves as an air deflector only its somewhat snug position in its support is suflicient to hold it in place. It is preferred that the foil be of sufiicient width if of flexible material to give way in the event of encountering a proturberance and be in actual touch with the web material passing over the drum surface but not any further away from it than a half-inch. Of course, Where readjustment in position may be desired, it can be readily had by loosening the studs or screws 27. Because of its position adjacent to the passing web on drum 12 or in slight contact with it, a substantial portion of adjacent air and that on the surface is stopped from entering the dryer pockets thus improving the function of the dryer apparatus.

The foil 21 desirably can be tilted away from the dryer drum surface for inspection, replacement, or for other purposes. The bearing 31 within its housing 24 and in which the shaft 23 rotates is cut away partially as shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 for about a fourth of its circumference, deeply enough to permit the lower end of a thumb screw 30, or a spring back screw, to be thereinto threaded or positioned to serve as a stop. A swing, then, of the arm 26 will permit movement of the foil only through the predetermined cut-out arc, placing the foil into and out of contact with the passing web surface. There could be, of course, a similar supporting structure on the opposite end of the foil support.

Some paper web drying apparatuses are of substantial widths and a flexible foil in one continuous length could be used, but, where it is desirable to utilize the moisturescavenging effect of air induced into the pocket, the foil, then, advantageously can be sectionalized, being formed of two, three or more sections, each supported for separate rotational movement in the manner shown in FIGURE 6. The end of the supporting tubular arbor 40 is positioned in an end support 41 and extends to the other side of a drum (not shown) terminating in a similar support. About it is placed a larger diameter tube 42. In abutting position a further tube 43 is likewise supported, etc. The sections 42, 43 ends abut in pillow blocks as 45, etc. Into the interior of tube 40 there is positioned a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 47 with entry and exhaust ports receiving a fluid under pressure through a connecting tube 48. The cylinder 47 is fixed in its position in the tube 40 by means of pins 49. The cylinder rod 50 of the cylinder 47 has a short cylindrical portion 51 attached to it and pins 53 threaded on opposite sides extending to the exterior through diagonal slots made in the outer tube 42. The pins 53 when forced into movement in a longitudinal direction will force a rotation of the outer tubes 42, 43. The tube 42, 43 rotation places mounted foils into or out of engagement with a dryer surface. With the aforesaid arrangement the cylinder can position the section at any point relative to the dryer surface within the one quadrant 43, etc. merely by extending the piston rod 50 length to effect rotational movement of the exterior arbor supporting respective sectional foil.

As shown in FIGURE 8 the piston section 51 has turned into it opposing studs which are adapted to move longitudinally with the piston of actuated cylinder 47. The outer tubular sections with the foil and diagonal slots 55 will be caused to rotate within limits to move the foils 57 secured by weld to the tube 42 into and out of contact With a Web. The foil 57, itself, is held by spaced, welded longitudinally extending members 58 being clamped therebetWeen and held against movement by bolt and nut means 60.

The foil unit can be modified further. It can be formed of lightweight sheet material where ruggedness is not called for. A sheet metal tube 70 can readily be formed and supported in any desirabe manner at its ends. Lateral but converging sides or a trough 71 formed of tapering sides 72, 72 and base 74 is welded or otherwise secured to the tube 70. Onto one of the sides and at the convergence with the trough base there is secured by bolts or weld a lengthy hinge 75. To the hinge 75 there is fastened a plate 76 having at one end a foil 77, either plastic or metal, and attached to the other a spring 78, The spring 78 is, of course, attached to both the plate 76 and trough side 72 and is in sufficient tension to keep the plate 76 against the trough base 74 which is itself perpendicular to the running Webabout its draw roll.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a web treating apparatus comprising a plurality of horizontally extending evenly staggered rolls over which a web is adapted to pass, an air foil and support means therefor being positioned between each pair of lower and upper rolls exteriorly of a passing web the foil being substantially perpendicular to and adjacent the passing web surface, and said foil being rotatably supported by said means.

2. The combination of claim 1 where the foil is made of rigid material and is sectionalized and each section is separately rotatably mounted and is adapted to rotate away from the passing web upon encountering a pro- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,314,162 4/1967 Haywood 34-1l1 3,337,968 8/1967 Krikorian et al. 341l6 XR 2 ,067,755 1/1937 Dyer 34113 KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 34-123 

